This Application claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 091212438 filed on Aug. 12, 2002.
The present invention is related to a two-part keyboard for separately connecting to an electronic device for inputting data to the electronic device.
With the aggressive competition in the market, new techniques are constantly introduced into kinds of electronic devices. New products are developed to increase competitiveness in many fields, such as mobile phone, PDAs and electronic portable translators. Mobile phones are amongst others.
Besides the basic requirements xe2x80x9clight, thin, short, smallxe2x80x9d for design, so far the development trends of the mobile phones are gradually moving to the goal of all-purpose-functions. Besides phone book, some of the mobile phones also function as a PDA to assist a user to manage personal data. In addition, some additional functions, such as internet browsing function, e-mail access function, e-dictionary or even multi-media function, strengthen the practicability and the convenience of the mobile phones.
Nevertheless, in contrast to the increasingly powerful additional functions of mobile phones, the original instant input interface for inputting phone number or short messages are obviously insufficient. The instant input interface referred to here are directed to method for user""s instant input, excluding external (such as from PC) data loading wiredly or wirelessly. There are two most common input methods, one of them is to input by the intrinsic keyboard of the mobile phone, and the other is by voice recognition. They are all accomplished by means of recognition and possess certain convenience. However, when a great deal of information need to be input, it usually takes too much time. In addition, the accuracy of recognition also needs improving.
To deal with this problem, some mobile phones are equipped with a mini keyboard. The present invention is therefore directed to the further improvement of such keyboards so as to meet higher demands.
The main aspect of the present invention provides a two-part keyboard, which can be opened to both sides.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a two-part keyboard, which is connected to an electronic device by the connector located between the two keyboard parts. Data can be input into the electronic device by way of the two-part keyboard.
Still another aspect of the present invention provides a two-part keyboard, whose connector""s height can be adjusted according to the available electronic devices.
Again another aspect of the present invention provides a two-part keyboard, which can be connected with different electronic devices by replacing or adjusting a base or the connector.
The two-part keyboard of the present invention includes a first housing, a second housing, a base, a controller and a connector. The first housing includes a first keyboard part and the inside of the first housing has a first space. A first outlet of the first space is on the right surface of the first housing. The second housing includes a second keyboard part and the inside of the second housing has a second space. A second outlet of the second space is on the left surface of the second housing.
The base has a left side part which movably connects to the first housing and a right side part which movably connects to the second housing. The controller for receiving and processing the input data is electrically connected with the first keyboard part and the second keyboard part. The connector for electrically connecting to the electronic device is installed on the base and electrically connecting to the controller.
When the first and the second housings move towards each other to conjoin, the left side part and the right side part of the base are respectively received in the first space and the second space via the first outlet and the second outlet. When the first and the second housings move away from each other, the left side part and the right side part respectively come off from the first space via the first outlet and from the second space via the second outlet. At this time, part of the base and the connector are exposed out of the first housing and the second housing to render the connector electrically connected to a electronic device.